Balloons over RussVegasThe first Balloons over RussVegas festival provided residents of the River Valley with multiple opportunities to view and enjoy colorful hot air balloons throughout the weekend full of festivities.

Oakes reveals 'Complete Streets' visionCity Engineer Michael Oakes showed the Russellville Planning Commission his vision for "Complete Streets" during its regular meeting last week. Oakes said Russellville's roads would undergo "a road diet." "Make the streets skinnier and make the lanes skinnier," he said. Most roads in Russellville currently have lanes that are 12 feet wide. Oakes proposed the roads instead should have 10-foot lanes with a bicycle lane on the outsides. During hi...

Steuber requests resolution against crematoriumScott Steuber asked the Pope County Quorum Court during its regular meeting Thursday to pass a resolution opposing the construction of a proposed cemetery and crematorium next to Center Valley Elementary School. Steuber, who will have children attending the elementary school for the next five years, said he was concerned about possible emissions from the crematorium. "Children and older adults are the most likely to be affected by particulate ...

News Briefs (May 3, 2014)Dover FD business meeting change The Dover Rural Fire Department annual business meeting scheduled for today has been moved to 7 p.m Saturday, May 10. Everyone in the Dover Rural district is invited. Anyone who has not paid their fire dues should mail $30 payment to PO Box 1 Dover, AR 72837. Be sure to list property address and mailing address with the payment. School Board seeks community input The Russellville School District Board of Educat...

DHS named top schoolDARDANELLE — Dardanelle High School (DHS) was named One of America's Best High Schools in 2014 by U.S. News and World Report magazine. "We are always thrilled to be on a good list," Principal Marcia Lawrence said. "It's a good thing for teachers, students and parents." The magazine reviewed 274 high schools in Arkansas and ranked DHS as 12th in the state. DHS was ranked nationally at 1,654 out of 31,242 high schools. Schools can received a gol...

WAGE to see new criteriaStudents may soon see changes to criteria for Workforce Alliance for Growth in the Economy (WAGE) certificates. "All changes are contigent upon state approval," Jackie Harris, WAGE coordinator, said during the group's regular meeting Wednesday. The suggested changes were developed during a two-day WAGE conference in April and include added curriculum such as requiring students to type 20 words per minute for all programs. WAGE submitted the pr...

Commission finalizes poll workersThe Pope County Election Commission finalized poll workers during a lengthy meeting Wednesday at the Pope County Election Headquarters. "Today was the deadline to appoint workers," Election Coordinator Sherry Polsgrove said after the meeting, adding there would still be "a few gaps" from workers not showing up. Earlier in April, commissioners made a list of available workers for each party. The commission began appointing workers for each loca...

Quorum Court hears Center Valley crematorium opposition The Pope County Quorum Court was greeted by a standing-room-only audience during Thursday’s regular meeting and heard spokesmen for and against the proposed Center Valley Gardens cemetery and crematorium. After less than half an hour of discussion, Justice of the Peace Doug Skelton asked resident Scott Steuber if the court could take a month to review more facts and look at an ordinance that would oppose the construction of the cemetery and cr...

Pottsville city attorney: 'Keep it clean'POTTSVILLE — The Pottsville City Council approved requiring a tarp or other acceptable cover for contractors' dumpsters or other containers at work sites during its regular meeting Monday at Pottsville City Hall. "The city is just trying to keep trash from blowing out on the street," City Attorney Jeff Phillips said. "This just lets contractors know if you're going to have a work site, you've got to keep it clean." With the new policy, the cit...

Planning Commission recommends rezoningThe Russellville Planning Commission approved recommending two rezoning requests during its regular meeting Monday in the City Hall Council Chambers. The commission will recommend the Russellville City Council approve rezoning property at 3014 E. 17th St. in Russellville from highway commercial to light industrial. The request was made by Scott Sanders for Airways Commercial, LLC. It will also recommend the council approve rezoning properties ...

Locals help tornado victimsMembers of the Arkansas River Valley pulled together to help the victims of Sunday's deadly tornado. Mark Pagley, pastor of New Life Church (NLC) of Russellville, and a team of nearly 20 volunteers on Tuesday bused to River Plantation subdivision in Mayflower to help clean up. "They're helping residents move things out of their houses," Quentin Washispack, Conway NLC pastor, said. "They're cutting down trees and helping remove rubble. They're ...

NLR woman dies in Clarksville crashCarol Ruth Berry, 61, of North Little Rock was killed at approximately 3 p.m. on Sunday when the vehicle she was driving west on Interstate 40 struck a relative's vehicle, careened into the median and entered Piney Channel between the I-40 bridges. Witnesses entered the water and reportedly attempted to reach the vehicle, but were unable to before it sank. Several volunteers and emergency responders including dive teams from Johnson and Pope C...

Letter carriers work to Stamp Out HungerThe National Association of Letter Carriers will collect nonperishable food donations on May 10 for the 22nd annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive. The Stamp Out Hunger food drive is a national campaign the Fort Smith letter carriers have participated in each year. “Letter carriers walk through the community every day, often coming face to face with a sad reality for too many — hunger,” Fort Smith Postal Letter Carriers stated in a news release. ...

Justices to hear crematorium discussionJustices of the Peace of the Pope County Quorum Court will hear citizens who will address the new cemetery and crematorium to be located off Center Valley Road during its May meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday. Center Valley Memorial Gardens has been proposed by Jim Bob Humphrey, president of Humphrey Funeral Service, and has answered questions during two public meetings — at Center Valley Elementary School earlier this month and during a Russellville...

Highway Commission OKs local roadway bidsThe Arkansas State Highway Commission approved various bids for roadway improvements in Pope, Yell and Johnson counties, according to Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) officials. In Pope County, bids include a project to resurface 2.8 miles of State Highway 7 (Arkansas Avenue) in Russellville and will extend north from D&R Railroad to U.S. Highway 64 (Main Street). Blackstone Construction of Russellville was awarded t...

News Briefs (April 26, 2014)Arkansas Tech to re-dedicate cafeteria Arkansas Tech University will celebrate its renovated student dining facility with a re-dedication ceremony for Chambers Cafeteria at 3 p.m. Sunday. The public is invited to attend. During summer 2013, Arkansas Tech engaged in an $8.7 million renovation of Chambers Cafeteria that has yielded an enhanced space equipped to host up to 900 students at a time. Free business workshops at ATU The Arkansas Small ...

New owners carry on the Hardwicke traditionCLARKSVILLE — Dave Cogan, new owner of Hardwicke Funeral Home in Clarksville, vowed to carry on the establishment’s tradition and will not change the name. Cogan said he, his wife and his daughter — Pam and Taylor — are honored to carry on the Hardwicke tradition. Cogan, a lifelong Johnson County resident, bought the funeral home after longtime owner Kathleen Nicholas died in December 2013. Nicholas took over the funeral home when her first hu...

22nd Taste of the ValleyMain Street Russellville held their 22nd annual Taste of the Valley Thursday evening at the Hughes Community Center in Russellville. This signature fundraiser was moved from its original venue at the downtown Depot due to the high chance of inclement weather. Thursday’s packed-house event featured various foods from over 30 exhibitors. In addition to the delicious food, live entertainment was provided throughout the event by The Journey, Steve...

Heath is chairperson for 2014 Relay for LifeKorey Heath of Russellville will serve as honorary chairperson when this year’s Pope and Yell County Relay for Life kicks off at 7 p.m. today at the Pope County Fairgrounds. Heath, 13, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a malignant tumor of the central nervous system arising in the cerebellum, on June 18, 2012. She had suffered from horrible headaches and the diagnosis was made after an MRI at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH). Results showe...

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Amy Fairbanks / For The CourierThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Pope Co. Library board approves job titles changesThe Pope County Library System (PCLS) Board of Trustees approved changing the job title of circulation supervisor to branch manager and from assistant circulation supervisor to assistant branch manager during its April meeting. The PCLS is made up of four branches — Russellville, Atkins, Dover and Hector. Russellville is currently the only branch without a branch manager. “I think it’s a good idea to have all branches uniform,” Karen Womack, P...